Chain-operating device



Nov. 1', 192 7.

L. w. JONES CHAIN OPERA m a. 4 L A n i an Patented Nov. 1, I 1927.

UNITED stares PATENT, OFFICE- LOUIS W. JONES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO L. \V. JONES TOOL COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATIOE OF NEW YORK.

CHAIN-OPERATING nnvrcn.

This invention relates to chain operating devices and has for one of its objects to.

. sprocket which drives the boring tool, which chain is normally moved by grasping the same in the hand and pulling upon it.

Chains, however, are more or less rough and the pivoted links are apt to catch and pinch portions of the operators hand so that such manual operation has frequently resulted 1n more or less serious injury to the operator.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a grip mechanism for such chains which will present a smooth face to the operators hand and which will grip and hold the chain when moved in one direction but which will release the said chain when moved in the opposite direction, and it is the primary object of the present invention to provide such a device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which will be simple inconstruction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and more efficient in use than those which have been heretofore proposed.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel de tails of constructlon and combinatlons, of

parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. v

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate like parts in all the views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a typical joist boring machine with a chain grip constructed in accordance with the present invention applied to the chain thereof;

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the grip mechanism shown in 1;

Fig. 5* side elevational view of the Application filed J'uly 22, 1926. Serial No. 124,217.

parts shown in Fig. 2 as viewed from left of the said figure; and, I

F ig, i is a top plan View of the device. Referring more particularly to the said drawings the joist boring machine is conventionally illustrated as comprising an ad? the justable standard 10 having a boring head 11' which is provided with a sprocket wheel 12 over which passes a driving chain 13. The intermittent grip device is indicated generally at 14 upon the said chain and by reference to Fig. 2, in particular, it will be seen to comprise a tubular casting 15, the upper portion of which is provided with a pair of cars 16 in which is journaled a shaft 17. Mounted upon the said shaft 17 is a sprocket wheel 18, the teeth of which are adapted to engage the openings in the links of the chain 13, the said chainbeing threaded through the bore 19 of the casting 15, as will be readily understood, from Fig. 1. Rigid, with the sprocket 18 is a ratchet wheel 20, the teeth of which are engaged by a dog or pawl 21 which is pivoted as at 22 in the small cars or extensions 23 with whichthe casting 15 is provided, as will be clear from the drawing. The said casting is provided with a recess 24 in which is mounted a coiled spring 25, one end of which bears against the pawl 21 and maintains it in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel It will be noted that the shaft 17 is so positioned relative to the axis of the bore 19 that the right hand portion of the circumference of the sprocket wheel 18, as viewed in Fig. 2, is out of alignment with the said bore 19 so that the sprocket chain 13,- which passes through the said bore, will always be maintained in engagement with the teeth of the said sprocket. It will also be noted that the exterior of the lower portion of the casting 15 presents, a comparatively smooth surface which affords a comfortable grip or handle by means of which the device may ,be grasped in the operators hand.

In use, the chain 13 may be provided with readily detachable links by means of which it may be broken at certain points and its end threaded through the bore 19 of the 7 operating device and around the sprocket wheel 18 w1th the openings in the chain links engaging the sprocket teeth in the well known manner. The free ends of the chain are then again connected by the detachable link and the chain positioned upon the sprocket 12 of the boring head in the customary manner.

If the tubular handle port-ion of the operating device is now grasped in one hand and a downward force exerted upon it, the engagement of the sprocket 18 with the chain 13 will tend to rotate the said sprocket in a counterclockwise direction. Such rotation, however, will be prevented by the engagement of the dog or pawl 21 with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 20 with the result that the device is in effect, locked to the chain and the downward force exerted upon the handle 15, will be transmitted to the chain in the same manner as it the chain class described, the combination with a manitself was grasped in the hand.

At the end of the downward stroke, it the direction of the force applied by the operator is reversed so as to lift the operating device, the sprocket will be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in-Fig. 2, the dog or pawl 21 riding upon the ratchet teeth in the well known manner.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a simple and effective intermittent grip device for use with manually operated sprocket chains whereby the chain may be effectively and positively moved in one direction while the device will freely ride upon the chain when force is applied in the opposite direction. Also that the device presents a comparatively smooth surface to the hand of the operator which will effectively protect the same against injury to which it would be subject, the chain itself was grasped.

lVhile one "form of the invention has been thus illustrated and described, it is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as the precise arrangen'lents 0t parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore, it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure, except as may be required by the claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. A chain operating device comprising a grip member adapted to be slidably mounted upon a chain; a sprocket adapted to engagesaid chain; and a pawl and ratchet associated with said sprocket for preventing relative movement between the chain and sprocket when said grip member is moved in one direction.

2. A chain operating device comprising a tubular grip member through which a chain is adapted to be threaded; a sprocket rotatablv carried by said grip member; a ratchet rigid with said sprocket; and a spring pressed pawl pivotally carried by said grip member, engaging said ratchet to prevent relative movement between the chain and sprocket when said grip member is moved in one direction, and to permit such movement when said grip member is moved in the opposite direction.

3.1n a chain operated mechanism of the ualiy operable driving chain, of a tubular grip member slidably mounted upon said chain; a sprocket rotatably carried by said grip member; a ratchet rigid with said sprocket; and a spring pressed pawl carried by said grip member, engaging said ratchet to prevent relative movement between said sprocket and chain when said grip member is moved in one direction.

4. A chain operating device comprising a tubular grip member through which a chain may be threaded; a sprocket rotatably carried by said grip member, the circumference of said sprocket being out of alignment with the tubular portion of said member, whereby the chain may be maintained in engagement with said sprocket; and a pawl and ratchet associated with said sprocket for preventing relative movement between the chain and sprocket when said grip member is moved in one direction.

5. A chain operating device comprising a grip member; a sprocket carried by said member adapted to engage a chain, the cir} cumference of said sprocketbeing located out of thenormal alignment of said chain, whereby the latter is deflected and maintained in engagement with the sprocket; and means for preventing relative moven'ient between the chain and sprocket when force is applied to said grip member in one direction. 7

LOUIS W. JONES. 

